The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-06-10
LED INTO TEMPTATION.
Story of a Remarkable Personal
Experience.

In 1856 was the one-half owner of a
daily newspaper in Davenport, Iowa
/ had just left college; l was hopeful,
enthusiastic, and the prospects were
rose-hued and enchanting. A year later
a great financial crisis swept over the
country and wrecked my journalistic
venture, leaving me a bankrupt with
out any available resources. All the
coasts of the country were covered with
shattered craft. Everywhere there was
ruin which seemed final. 1 do not
know why l did not go to the devil at
this period, as there appeared for n
time no route leading in any other
direction. In fact began to gravitate
thitherward, and probably should have
made the journey with due rapidity,
and with at least average brilliancy,
had there not occurred an incident,
which, for time at least, diverted my
steps in another direction.
There was man living in Daven-
port at that date named Mcclure. He
was connected with family of some
wealth, had been steamboatman for
many years and had closed his career
in that line through the loss of his eye
sight. Although totally blind, he pre-
served his energy and somewhat of his
ambition, and determined to earn his
own living Many schemes were de-
vised and discussed, and finally one was
adopted. It consisted in a panoramic
exhibition. The Mormon matter was
at that time one of considerable prom
ho1 al
public interest in the history of the
saints might be depended on as source
of profit. Accordingly Mcclure ordered
the painting of panorama, in which,
in a score of pictures, there were pre-
scented the principal events in the ca
reer Of the Mormons.
Commencing with the finding of the
golden plates by Joseph Smith, the Sc
ries pictured the Mormons at Nauvoo,
the killing of Smith, the immigration
10 Missouri, the crossing of the plains
by the fugitives to Salt Lake, views Of
the new home, and one gorgeous panel
which claimed to be the portrait of
Brigham Young and his wives. The
artist was a young fellow in Daven-
port who developed some artistic ten
denotes, who subsequently applied pig
ments to canvas in New York City with
some success, and who is now engaged
as a vender of caoutchouc products in
this city.
Mcclure needed some one to oversee
his movements and to act as the lee
turer. / was offered the position at
the then munifcent salary of twenty
dollars week, to be paid in gold, with
the promise of n lavish share in the
prospective inevitable profits of the
enterprise. The black field of vision
of the blind man became irradiated
as by n MONDAY sun, rs his imagina-
ton contemplated the successes of his
venture. He would make the tour of
all the principal cities Of the States
And, then, the old worldl To the MT
tons of Europe the novelties of the
Mormon faith and people would make
the panoramic exhibition one of ire
sistible attraction.
Albeit somewhat given to pessimistic
views of life and inclined to despOnd-
ent conclusions, l became enthused
over his brilliant colorings of the
future. and saw myself the possessor of
unlimited wealth.
II.
The opening night of the panoramic
venture was in June, 1858. There was
fair audience, who listened patiently
as ! waded for three hours through q
paper which 1 had prepared for the
occasion, and which was in the main a
young mans savage denunciation of
the prosecutions of the unfortunate
saints.
The next night we gave an exhibition
at Rock Island, across tho river. The
attendance was light, and as / had cut
my lecture TO one-hah its original de
mansions had reason to think that the
audience was at least better pleased
with this feature of the exhibition. A
blind musician named Parker was the
orchestra for the evening.
The initiation of the new enterprise
was thus not specially promising,
although I tried to console myself with
the hope that bad beginning would
make a good ending. A couple of
days later we were en- route eastward,
and made our first halt at Geneseo.
The audience did not number more
than a score. AT Ia Sale it rained as
if the foundations of the great deep
had again broken mp, and the attend
ance in the cramPed and foul-smelling
room In tho court house, which we had
secured for the exhibition, could have
been tailed by ones fingers. Ihad not
a cent of money and when the La Sale
engagement closed l found that my
employer was in the same condition.
1 need otprolong this portion of the
narrative. as it is but preliminary to the
main incident to be related. Suffice
II that the assistant and myself re-
NAMED in pawn, so to express 1t, at
the Hardy House, while MCGUIRE went
back to Davenport to secure from his
relatives a fresh supply Of funds. We
aud the panorama were relieved when
he returned. IL rained necessarily.
The only point on the trip where there